panic

In Linux, a kernel panic is a serious error from which the kernel cannot recover. The word "panic" comes from the name of the Greek god Pan.

See also pan pipes, Don't Panic, pandemonium

The state entered in a stressful situation when someone gives in to fear and turns off the ol' higher reasoning functions. A panicky person may make hasty and poorly thought out decisions, have trouble with fine motor skills, and will be extremely agitated and nervous. Frequently used in the phrases "Don't Panic!", "A blind panic", and "widespread panic."

The song "Panic" by The Smiths (the famous 80's pop band headed by Morrissey) managed to gain notoriety with it's refrain of "Hang the DJ!".
Famous for his dark and brooding lyrics, Morrissey's choice of words in this particular song managed to stir up a good amount of controversy. The song's refrain goes:

Burn down the disco!
Hang the blessed DJ!
Because the music they constantly play
It speaks nothing to me about my life
Hang the blessed DJ!

The song ends with repetitious chanting of:
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ!

(With a chorus of little kids, to boot)

The British music press erupted with the release of "Panic", misinterpreting Morrissey's lyrics as derogatory towards blacks and black music, and, in the words of one British music weekly, "racist".

As Johnny Marr (co-head of the Smiths with Morrissey) said in a 1987 NME interview with Danny Kelly:

"To those who took offence at the 'burn down the disco' line I'd say -- please show me the black members of New Order! For me, personally, New Order make great disco music, but there's no black people in the group. The point I'm making is that you can't just interchange the words 'black' and 'disco', or the phrases 'black music' and 'disco music'. It makes no earthly sense."

The true meaning behind the lyrics had to do with the fact that Marr and Morrissey were appalled to hear British DJ Steve Wright report the Chernobyl disaster on the radio and then follow it by playing a Wham! song. As Marr says in the same interview:

"'Panic' came about at the time of Chernobyl. Morrissey and myself were listening to a Newsbeat radio report about it. The story about this shocking disaster comes to an end and then, immediately, we're off into Wham!'s 'I'm Your Man'. I remember actually saying 'what the fuck has this got to do with peoples' lives?' We hear about Chernobyl, then, seconds later, we're expected to be jumping around to 'I'm Your Man'."

Although Panic was not on any Smith's LP, it is on many of The Smiths' live albums and singles collections, for any interested listeners.

This node was moved from the Hang the DJ node on 2/14/01.

Pan"ic (?), n. [L. panicum.] Bot.

A plant of the genus Panicum; panic grass; also, the edible grain of some species of panic grass.

Panic grass Bot., any grass of the genus Panicum.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Pan"ic, a. [Gr. of or pertaining to Pan, to whom the causing of sudden fright was ascribed: cf. F. panique.]

Extreme or sudden and causeless; unreasonable; -- said of fear or fright; as, panic fear, terror, alarm.

"A panic fright."

Dryden.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Pan"ic, n. [Gr. (with or without fear): cf. F. panigue. See Panic, a.]

1.

A sudden, overpowering fright; esp., a sudden and groundless fright; terror inspired by a trifling cause or a misapprehension of danger; as, the troops were seized with a panic; they fled in a panic.

2.

By extension: A sudden widespread fright or apprehension concerning financial affairs.

 

© Webster 1913.